Nubes ebrias, luna ligeramente dormida

Capítulo 4

Whoever obtains this map will be able to lead this operation, and if the operation succeeds, their status will be elevated.

Chapter 3 Mother's Privacy (2)

Bai and Huang harbored deep resentment. Since the founding of the Plum Blossom Party organization, they had formed separate factions, engaging in open and covert struggles, deceiving and scheming against each other. They would seize any opportunity to undermine the other, never giving them a good outcome. Chiang Kai-shek was aware of the conflict between Bai and Huang. He would publicly reprimand them equally, criticizing their excessive self-interest, strong factionalism, and their inability to cooperate. However, in reality, if Bai Jingzhai and Huang Feihu truly reconciled and resolved their past conflicts, Chiang Kai-shek might not even have peace of mind. If they reconciled and formed a united front, he, as president, would become an outsider, unable to understand the intricacies and hidden secrets of the Plum Blossom Party. Letting them scheme against each other was beneficial; they would secretly report on him, allowing Chiang Kai-shek to have a thorough understanding of the Plum Blossom Party's affairs and its dynamics. This was a ruling method, a technique for controlling people, and an excellent way to manage lackeys and maintain overall control.

The Plum Blossom Party was a sharp sword in Chiang Kai-shek's hands. The reason why the planned large-scale destruction operation in Chongqing, the former wartime capital, was named "Operation Sword of Restoration" reveals Chiang Kai-shek's special view of the Plum Blossom Party.

The Plum Blossom Party was indeed a sword forged from special materials. Its members were all exceptionally skilled elites, each a top-tier expert. The organization was brimming with talent, boasting numerous experts in both intellectual and military affairs. Whether it was intelligence gathering or assassination and sabotage, the Plum Blossom Party excelled in everything. However, its sheer power made it unsettling. Chiang Kai-shek sometimes even felt that this sword, embedded in the Chinese Communist heartland, was a double-edged sword: used properly, it was an invincible weapon; but if mishandled and allowed to spiral out of control, it could damage his own foundation.

Over the years, Bai Jingzhai and Huang Feihu, who held power within the Plum Blossom Party, have indeed become increasingly unpredictable. It is said that Huang Feihu has long been flirting with the CIA, and they have many secret cooperative projects.

The Americans' high regard for Huang Feihu was, in a sense, a source of pride for Chiang Kai-shek. However, if Huang Feihu became too powerful, he might one day fly away and end up in someone else's golden nest.

Chiang Kai-shek had carefully considered his decision to use this sharp sword. On the surface, he wanted to strike at the Communist Party, but in reality, he had another consideration: to weaken the Plum Blossom Party and make it less powerful, until it had to ask him for help. In this way, he could more effectively control this organization that had already shown signs of centrifugal tendencies.

Chiang Kai-shek knew that this operation would certainly deplete the Plum Blossom Party's strength, because the Communists had never been easy to deal with. Back then, he had an army that claimed to number eight million, but after the victory in the War of Resistance against Japan, within just three years, he was driven out of the mainland and forced to retreat to the isolated island of Taiwan by a poor army with only millet and rifles. Now, the Communists controlled the entire mainland and were even more powerful and difficult to deal with than before.

Using the Plum Blossom Party to attack the Communist Party was a brilliant and ingenious plan that killed two birds with one stone. Regardless of the outcome, it was at least not a bad thing for Chiang Kai-shek. Bai Jingzhai was dead, but Huang Jingzhai took his place; Huang Feihu was eliminated, but Bai Feihu filled the gap. There were plenty of lackeys. The problem is that lackeys can't stay in one position for too long. If they stay too long, their influence will run deep. If their influence is deep, they will be difficult to move. They will become arrogant, conceited, uncontrollable, and disdainful of others. They will become untouchable. This time, I won't have to deal with you myself. Let you taste the bitterness in the struggle against the Communist Party. Once you've tasted enough bitterness, you will desperately beg me for help, and only then will you obediently listen to me.

After arranging the "Sword of Restoration" plan, Chiang Kai-shek was overjoyed for several days, waiting for a good show to unfold.

Chapter Four: The Mysterious Refugee

Ah Cai peeked through his mother's armpit at the door to the side room and suddenly noticed that the door, which was usually locked, was open. Had someone just gone in or out through this door...?

Ah Cai clung to the top of the bamboo pole, looking towards the thick smoke. He was shocked and, losing his grip, slid to the ground. "What happened, young man?" Teacher Tian quickly helped him up.

"My house is on fire!" Ah Cai meant to say that there was a fire near his house, but in his panic, he misspoke. Ah Cai pushed Teacher Tian aside and ran towards the school gate. He had to get back, he had to get back to help his mother! He ran like the wind, and in the blink of an eye, he was outside the school gate.

Ah-Cai arrived at his doorstep, panting, only to discover that the fire was just across the street from his house! Fortunately, the fire had already been brought under control.

Just as Ah Cai was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he suddenly felt something on his shoulder. It turned out that Teacher Tian was right behind him, stroking his thin shoulder with her big, strong hands.

Ah Cai suddenly felt a surge of heat in his heart and wanted to cry, but he immediately held back and hurried home.

Mei Fang had already packed up the most valuable things in her house, preparing to flee. "Phew, thank God for protecting me." She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her child and Teacher Tian.

Ah Cai suddenly rushed into his mother's arms. He could feel that his mother's body was still trembling; it was tension, fear, and the unease of loneliness and helplessness swaying in a near-hopeless situation.

Ah Cai peeked through his mother's armpit at the door to the side room and suddenly noticed that the door, which was usually locked, was open. Had someone just gone in or out through this door?

19

Mei Fang was a beautiful young woman with a dignified appearance, fair skin, and a full figure. A faint trace of melancholy occasionally flickered between her willow-leaf eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes. Mei Fang was an only child from a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners. Her mother died on the delivery bed due to postpartum hemorrhage after giving birth to her. Mei Fang was raised on her second aunt's breast milk. Her childhood was spent with her several clever and lively cousins. Among them, she had a particularly deep and devoted relationship with her eldest cousin, Han Qing, from her second aunt's family. On the eve of the liberation, her second aunt's family moved to Hong Kong, and from then on, young Mei Fang and her eldest cousin were separated forever.

A week ago, at dusk, just as darkness was falling, a familiar-looking man quietly came to her door, claiming to be her cousin. When he showed her the burn scars on his calves, Mei Fang no longer doubted that he was indeed her cousin whom she had met in her dreams over the years.

When Mei Fang was a child, she accidentally knocked over a thermos while playing, and the boiling water scalded her older cousin's leg. Whenever Mei Fang recalled that moment, her heart ached. At that time, her older cousin was very brave, never complaining about the pain, and kept comforting her. From then on, Mei Fang's admiration for her older cousin evolved into a sweet secret crush.

Twenty years have passed, and my older cousin has grown into a dashing and heroic man.

The older cousin claimed that he was hiding from a foreign gang and had just returned to the mainland from Hong Kong to avoid trouble. He said he didn't want other relatives to know for the time being.

Mei Fang understood; judging from her cousin's tone, he seemed to want to stay at her house temporarily. However, her husband wasn't home, and if a handsome man of similar age to her husband suddenly moved in, it would cause a lot of gossip if outsiders saw them. But considering her cousin's situation, and out of consideration for their past relationship and family ties, Mei Fang couldn't bear to refuse. After some thought, she decided to make do with her cousin temporarily, letting him stay in the small attic in the empty room next to the living room. Mei Fang decided to keep this from her children for the time being, fearing that the children, being young and inexperienced, might not keep quiet and cause a scene.

20

The man stabbed to death by a poisoned dart near the Luohu Bridge in Shenzhen was a trusted lieutenant of Bai Jingzhai, the leader of the Plum Blossom Gang, nicknamed "Black Bean." In his quest to find the secret arms map, he went to great lengths to discover General Xie's whereabouts—General Xie, after leaving the Taiwanese military, was living in seclusion in a bustling residence in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. As the saying goes, "A minor hermit hides in the mountains, a major hermit hides in the city," and this is certainly true.

Black Bean has a sworn brother named Ruan Sanlang, nicknamed "Wild Wolf". Wild Wolf is actually a confidant of Huang Feihu, another leader of the Plum Blossom Gang.

Initially, only Bai Jingzhai within the Plum Blossom Party knew the whereabouts of the secret arms map. After receiving his orders, on the eve of his departure from Taiwan to Hong Kong, Hei Dou invited Ye Lang to a restaurant for drinks. Ye Lang, tasked with gathering intelligence on Bai Jingzhai's movements, sensed that Hei Dou had some important mission. Taking advantage of the lively atmosphere at the table, he offered Hei Dou a large toast and secretly slipped a specially made hallucinogenic drug into his drink. After drinking the drink, Hei Dou instantly entered a hallucinatory state and answered Ye Lang's questions truthfully. Ye Lang extracted Hei Dou's mission from this, and was overjoyed. That very night, he used a secret radio to contact Huang Feihu, who was lurking on the mainland.

Huang Feihu was overjoyed upon receiving the secret report. He had been racking his brains trying to find General Xie's whereabouts, and now, it was like finding a needle in a haystack. Overjoyed, he secretly smugly congratulated himself on his foresight. Years ago, he had deliberately sent his trusted lieutenant, Wild Wolf, to infiltrate the Bai faction and cultivate a special relationship with Bai Jingzhai's confidants. This was a classic case of "raising an army for a thousand days to use it for one." If Chiang Kai-shek knew about this, would the Chairman still criticize him for lacking cunning?

Huang Feihu secretly ordered his trusted confidant, Lao Diao, to smuggle himself into Hong Kong through clandestine channels. Based on intelligence provided by Ye Lang, Lao Diao was tasked with waiting for and tracking Hei Dou, and hitching a ride on a boat to search for General Xie's whereabouts.

Huang Feihu already had a photo of Hei Dou, but Hei Dou didn't recognize Lao Diao. This clearly showed that one was in the open, while the other was in the shadows. Therefore, as soon as Hei Dou set foot in Hong Kong, he was followed by Lao Diao without even realizing it.

Following the secret clues provided by Bai Jingzhai, Heidou finally found General Xie's residence after many hardships. However, the old general had just passed away a few days ago. Heidou used a large sum of money to bribe a servant of the Xie family and inquired about the whereabouts of the ancient painting with a hidden picture of weapons on the back—the "Snow Moon and Drunkenness" painting. The servant told him that the "Snow Moon and Drunkenness" painting was in the hands of his eldest son, Xie Hanqing, who had another residence in Mong Kok.

Perhaps sensing the killer's scent on Hei Dou, and remembering the kindness General Xie had shown him, the servant secretly informed Xie Hanqing that someone might come looking for trouble. Hanqing initially dismissed the warning, but later, when he was suddenly robbed by masked gunmen who broke into his home in the middle of the night, he truly realized the gravity of the situation. Fortunately, he had his father's pistol under his pillow that night, which he used to fend off the intruders. After calming down, Hanqing remembered his father's dying words: "…Chongqing…find Cheng…Master Cheng…" General Xie passed away before he could finish his last words.

Hanqing was a businessman who had only recently begun traveling between Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Since leaving Chongqing at the end of 1948, he had never set foot on the land of Chongqing again. His father's incomplete dying words left him with a great mystery. The night he was harassed by armed robbers made him realize the importance of his father's will. He not only weighed the special value of the "Snow, Moon, and Drunkenness" painting but also sensed its inherent danger. Value and danger always coexist; anything valuable inevitably contains hidden risks—a universal truth. Normally, he was preoccupied with his business and didn't pay much attention to the calligraphy and paintings in his home. Only after his father's death did he begin to notice them. On his deathbed, his father hadn't mentioned a word about the many ancient and modern masterpieces in his study, but he was particularly worried about the "Snow, Moon, and Drunkenness" painting—there must be a secret behind it.

After the attack in the middle of the night, Han Qing took down the "Snow Moon and Drunken Beauty" painting and hid it. One day, when he returned home, he found the house ransacked. He knew the danger hadn't disappeared; someone was eyeing the painting. How much was it really worth? Han Qing, who had a background in calligraphy and painting, was puzzled.

One day, Han Qing secretly took the ancient painting with him, intending to find a master art appraiser in the suburbs and extract some secrets from him. However, the moment he stepped out the door, he was chased and attacked. Fortunately, he was prepared and carried a gun—a specially modified silenced pistol. After taking down his attacker, he quickly hid. Later, he heard that the man he had crippled was a big shot in the Hong Kong underworld. Now, he could no longer stay in Hong Kong. After much deliberation, he secretly took some valuables and sneaked into mainland China that very night, heading straight for Chongqing.

twenty one

When Hei Dou secretly searched Xie Hanqing's residence, he found a topographical map of Chongqing city marked with symbols.

Wild Wolf, who was "casually" visiting Hong Kong, "coincidentally" met Black Bean. Wild Wolf used the same trick as before and tricked Black Bean into revealing Xie Hanqing's whereabouts.

Huang Feihu ordered Lao Diao to kill Hei Dou to prevent Bai Jingzhai from getting his hands on the Xueyue Drunken Painting. Fearing trouble for the Hong Kong British authorities, Huang Feihu repeatedly instructed Lao Diao not to act within Hong Kong territory. To facilitate Lao Diao's movements, Huang Feihu arranged for someone to provide him with a complete set of passports and other identification documents so that Lao Diao could keep an eye on Hei Dou.

When Hei Dou was caught by border guards at Luohu Customs, Lao Diao suddenly felt that he had to act quickly. At this time, eliminating his opponent was not the biggest reason to take action. He thought that if Hei Dou leaked the secret, it would cause a fire in the city wall and affect the fish and shrimp, ultimately jeopardizing the Plum Blossom Party's plan.

After eliminating the black bean, Lao Diao followed Huang Feihu's instructions and quickly returned to Chongqing to await further orders.

Back in Chongqing, Huang Feihu praised Lao Diao and rewarded him with three gold bars. After treating him to wine and meat, Huang Feihu gave him instructions for the next step: disguise himself as an old man selling cotton candy and set up a stakeout near No. 13 Meishan Road to wait for the target. 22

The "Cheng Gong" that General Xie mentioned on his deathbed was his classmate and friend from his time at the Whampoa Military Academy. His name was Cheng Handong, who had served as the commander of a division in the Kuomintang. In 1949, Cheng Handong led his troops in an uprising in Sichuan. After liberation, he became a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and lived in Chongqing for a long time.

At the time, General Xie was ostensibly Cheng Handong's chief of staff, but in reality, he was a member of the Military Intelligence Bureau. On the eve of the uprising, Cheng Handong, considering that General Xie's family had already been sent to Taiwan, and out of friendship and humanitarian considerations, allowed General Xie to choose freely: whether or not he wanted to follow the Communist Party.

After much deliberation, General Xie decided to withdraw from the uprising. He pretended to flee and rejoined the Kuomintang army.

After retiring from the Taiwanese military, General Xie often thought of his old classmate who had spared him years ago. He had always had a wish to give the "Snow and Moon in Drunkenness" painting to Cheng Handong, firstly to express his gratitude, secondly to show his homesickness, and thirdly to hope that Cheng could discover the secrets of the arms map from it, eliminate the hidden dangers for his hometown, and maintain a peaceful land.

Back then, on the battlefield against the Japanese, General Xie once demonstrated to Cheng Gong the technique of concealing military orders with invisible ink.

After Xie Hanqing fled to Chongqing, he didn't hide in the attic all the time. Behind the side room of Mei Fang's house was a secret door leading to the neighbor's courtyard. It was a secret passage that outsiders knew almost nothing about. He disguised himself several times to secretly search for Cheng Gong's address. After some inquiries, he finally learned the detailed address of Cheng Gong's residence. He knocked on the door and asked, but Cheng Gong was not at home. He had gone to Beijing for a meeting a few days ago and was said to not return until after the National Day holiday in October. He had been invited to attend the National Day celebrations.

Xie Hanqing calculated the days. There were still some days until National Day, so he thought, "Let's wait and see, it'll be good to avoid the storm."

He was always very vigilant when he went out, and even though he was in the mainland, he dared not be careless in the slightest. When he arrived at Chongqing Railway Station, he sensed that someone was following him. Fortunately, he had received martial arts training when he was young, which made him not only agile but also very sharp-eyed, allowing him to escape unscathed.

Now, hiding at his cousin's house, he even sleeps with his ears perked up. At the slightest sound downstairs, he instinctively becomes alert. Lately, his cousin's house, which rarely has visitors, has suddenly become a constant stream of guests, some teachers, some neighbors. Hanqing vaguely senses that there is a sensitive nose sniffing around.

Chapter 5 The Shadow Outside the Window (1)

Ah-Cai found a piece of clothing he'd never seen before in the closet. Just as he was about to ask his mother about it, Mei-Fang snatched it away. Ah-Cai wondered: What's wrong with Mom…? 23

The new teacher, Mr. Tian, at Acai School was actually Long Fei, a senior counter-espionage expert from Beijing. Based on clues found on the body of the deceased at Luohu Bridge, he tracked down the family to No. 13 Meishan Road in Chongqing. While learning about the family's situation, he discovered their son attended the nearby Heping Elementary School. So, through connections, he disguised himself as a physical education teacher and entered the school. "Only by disguising myself as a physically strong physical education teacher could I make it convincing," Long Fei said with a smile to his female assistant, Ling Yuqi. "Hey, nobody said you're simple-minded, right?" Ling Yuqi teased.

When Long Fei accompanied Teacher Yu on his first home visit to A Cai's house, he noticed a hint of panic in A Cai's mother's eyes. It was a sign of wariness towards unfamiliar guests or unease about external intrusion. Long Fei's professional intuition told him that there was more to her expression than met the eye.

Long Fei had observed A Cai's home and was particularly interested in the uninhabited outbuilding. His assistant, Ling Yuqi, had learned from the neighborhood committee that a distant relative of A Cai's had died suddenly in that outbuilding many years ago, and no one had lived there since. On several occasions when the neighborhood committee conducted fire safety inspections, they felt a musty, eerie atmosphere emanating from the outbuilding. Everyone secretly said that the room was very unlucky—the kind of unlucky that comes with it. After that, whenever there was a fire safety inspection, those who knew about it avoided entering the room.

Observing Ah Cai's roof from a distance, one can see that his small attic is located above the side room. Long Fei observed it several times with binoculars, but could not detect anything unusual.

During a casual conversation with A-Cai, Long Fei managed to extract this information from the quick-witted boy: strange noises often came from his attic at night. "Later, I discovered it was a stray cat." Although A-Cai was telling the truth, Long Fei sensed that the boy didn't want him to know more. His intuition told him that A-Cai wasn't a student who liked to lie. If he was hiding anything, it was more like a little adventurer wanting to uncover a secret on his own, savoring the thrill of discovery. Although Long Fei dealt with adult opponents daily, he wasn't a complete novice when it came to child psychology. First, he himself had gone through similar experiences; second, his professor, Sulov, a specialist in psychoanalysis, had taught him about child psychology when he studied in the Soviet Union. Long Fei never imagined that some of the knowledge he had acquired back then would come in handy today. Fortunately, he had some basic knowledge, and coupled with his love for children, Longfei felt that he and Acai might have developed a certain trust over the past few days. When the fire happened, he rushed home with Acai, and on their way back to school, Longfei casually asked Acai, "What do you want to tell me?" Acai, who had been deep in thought, suddenly changed his mind: "No, nothing!" This answer surprised Longfei. He thought to himself, "This little guy is not to be underestimated."

twenty four

After dinner, Ah-Cai helped his mother tidy up. In the afternoon, when a fire broke out nearby, his mother panicked and made a mess of the wardrobe in the house.

Everyone knows the cause of the fire: it was caused by Yang Erwa, the mentally challenged son of the grocery store owner who lived across the street. The mentally challenged son was playing with fire in his backyard kitchen, burning a pile of tattered cotton wadding. This ignited the surrounding firewood, and when the fire spread, he ran away.

Rumors circulated that the mentally challenged son was instigated to play with fire. Someone lured him with a cotton candy, claiming that cotton candy was made by burning cotton.

"Luckily, we don't have any mentally challenged children in our family." Mei Fang felt a sense of joy after escaping a disaster and was in a good mood, so she joked with A Cai.

While tidying up the wardrobe, Ah Cai found a very pretty women's shirt, seemingly brand new. He'd never seen his mother wear it before. Just as he was about to ask her about it, Mei Fang swiftly snatched the shirt away and haphazardly stuffed it into the top shelf of the wardrobe. Ah Cai felt his mother's actions were a bit rough. Just moments ago they were chatting and laughing, and now the mood had suddenly changed. Even a storm should have a gradual build-up. Ah Cai recalled his mother's recent behavior and felt something was definitely wrong. Was she upset because his father wasn't home? She'd never been like this before. Had he done something wrong? He couldn't think of anything he'd done wrong! It was just that he'd secretly drunk oolong tea that night, and lately he'd been staying up late every night. Other than that, he was a really obedient and good boy.

When Ah-Cai saw his mother's mood suddenly change, he immediately became obedient and said, "Mom, are you too tired? I can massage your back, or I can go get you some water to wash your face."

Upon hearing this, Mei Fang immediately realized that she had lost her composure. She quickly smiled and said, "My child, I was just thinking that you should grow up quickly. When children are young, they always worry adults. If they are too honest, adults will worry. If they are too clever, adults will not feel at ease."

"So, Mom, what kind of person am I?" Ah-Cai asked, trying to sound innocent.

“I see you…” Mei Fang paused halfway through her sentence, then Ah Cai, noticing his mother’s gaze, turned around and saw a dark shadow flash past the window.

At night, Ah-Cai asked to sleep in the same room as his mother.

"Son, you've only slept alone for two days, why are you scared?"

"No, I'm not scared. I'm sleeping with you because I'm afraid you'll be scared. I want to protect you!" Ah Cai hugged his little quilt, put it on Mei Fang's bed, and then went back to his room to get something else. His footsteps sounded particularly strong, as if he was stomping his feet heavily, trying to scare away the spirits and monsters.

25

The dark figure outside the window was Old Eagle. He had been staking out Ah Cai's house for several days without finding anything suspicious, but Huang Feihu had ordered him to hold this position and monitor the area day and night without fail. Old Eagle wasn't one to wait passively; he always wanted to take the initiative. His risky attack in Shenzhen was a prime example of his style. He seemed unwilling to remain passive and wanted to find an opportunity to uncover the secrets of No. 13 Meishan Road. Although the house wasn't very secure, and on the surface, there didn't seem to be any formidable figures or guard dogs inside, he still dared not easily intrude. A rash visit would inevitably arouse the homeowner's unease and vigilance; forcing entry would only alert the enemy. A more feasible approach was to secretly investigate or use some other covert and indirect method. It was his idea to instigate Yang Erwa, but the one who actually instigated him wasn't him, but one of his subordinates who acted as a bystander around him every day. Old Diao originally thought that Yang Erwa's fire would cause panic among the neighbors, forcing the people at house number 13 to reveal themselves (if they were hiding inside).

When the fire broke out during the day, there was a moment of panic and chaos. The entire street was crowded with people, some watching the spectacle and others carrying things. This made it impossible for Lao Diao across the street to see the real situation in front of No. 13.

After nightfall, Old Eagle still refused to sound the gong to withdraw his guards. Seeing that there were few people around, he pressed himself against the wall and listened to the sounds inside the window of house number thirteen. After listening for a long time, his ears were stiff from being perked up, and he could only hear the nagging between a mother and son.

Old Eagle was Huang Feihu's trusted confidant. He already knew the importance of the secret arms map to this operation. As Huang Feihu's best friend, he understood that changes in his superior's position affected his own honor and disgrace. Having long been involved in the secret organization of the "Party State," he knew the importance of choosing a faction and being loyal to one's master for one's future. Within the Plum Blossom Party faction, although Huang Feihu was not as cunning as Bai Jingzhai, he was by no means mediocre. He chose Huang Feihu and followed him to the death because Huang Feihu still possessed a sense of chivalry and loyalty. Although he was Huang Feihu's subordinate, he preferred to regard Huang Feihu as an elder brother. Old Eagle was utterly loyal to Huang Feihu, often taking the initiative to share his leader's burdens. He knew that Huang Feihu hadn't placed all his bets on him in the search for the arms map, but he still felt he had to do his best and not overlook any suspicious clues. Staying in one place all day requires patience. Moreover, constantly being in the public eye risks being spotted by his former communist counter-espionage experts; the consequences would be predictable. He understood that the danger he faced was no less than that of the person he was tailing. Although he had disguised himself, he felt it was always better to be cautious. Based on this mindset, while tailing Number Thirteen, in addition to observing his target, he would frequently glance around to see if there were any traces of his former adversaries.

His experiential intuition told him that since his target was so important, the Communist experts surely wouldn't be oblivious. Although he secretly hoped they knew nothing about the Xie family's young master, he figured that because he had personally killed Hei Dou, or perhaps out of guilt, the Communist experts wouldn't be indifferent. Every day, standing guard at the crossroads, he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, constantly on edge. He only hoped to find the Xie family's young master's whereabouts as soon as possible and retrieve the painting—that would be a blessing indeed!

26

Although Long Fei had only visited A Cai's house twice, he had observed the surrounding area many times. The old man selling cotton candy who suddenly appeared by the roadside caught his attention. At first, he felt that the face seemed familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen it before or whether he had actually seen it before. A Cai also told him that he had never seen this old man before. This situation could not help but arouse his attention. Although he carefully memorized the man's face in his mind, he tried his best to appear calm and composed. A mature police officer should have sharp eyes, but even more so, he should have a calm mind and not let his emotions show.

Although there is no direct evidence to suggest that Yang Erwa's fire-related accident was related to the cotton candy seller, the rumors have already begun to raise Long Fei's suspicions.

Ling Yuqi, who was distributing rat poison under the guise of a staff member at the epidemic prevention station, had a similar feeling about the old man selling cotton candy. Long Fei had a premonition that this old man might have ulterior motives! People who have worked in public security for a long time are often more sensitive to evil than to good. That night, when Long Fei accompanied Teacher Yu to A Cai's house for another home visit, he suddenly saw a dark shadow flash by the wall and disappear in an instant. Teacher Yu was shocked; she had overheard some parents talking about ghostly figures appearing on Meishan Road from time to time.

Long Fei remained remarkably calm, offering a few words of comfort to Teacher Yu. He secretly wondered if someone else was indeed becoming interested in Ah Cai's house. Long Fei thought to himself, this world isn't just his world. If he's paying attention to the residence at No. 13 Meishan Road, surely someone else is interested too? He knew he was here because of a dangerous situation; this wasn't an ordinary case—it involved the Plum Blossom Gang! The Plum Blossom Gang wasn't some herbivorous lamb or reindeer; they were ruthless, bloodthirsty demons.

Since arriving in Chongqing, Long Fei's nerves have been on edge. He has a feeling that this mission will be more arduous and dangerous than any he has ever undertaken before, and that he may encounter a powerful adversary lurking in the shadows at any moment.

The Plum Blossom Party was like a nine-headed monster; after repeated blows, it would rise again from the ashes. Why did this opponent possess such a tenacious ability to revive? Long Fei pondered this, and concluded there could only be one answer: the Plum Blossom Party's organization had been deeply infiltrated, its members numerous, its organization extremely tight, and its training exceptionally well-done. Fighting against such an opponent was incredibly exhilarating! Long Fei was a tough guy who feared neither pressure nor challenge; in fact, the more difficulties he faced, the stronger his fighting spirit became. Long Fei thought to himself, "Plum Blossom Party, Plum Blossom Party, you'd better have a good spar with me!"

Over the years, Long Fei has accumulated a wealth of experience through numerous clashes with the Plum Blossom Party. He is not only familiar with the characteristics of the Plum Blossom Party's activities, but also knows the core figures within the party like the back of his hand: he has dealt with figures such as Bai Jingzhai and Huang Feihu. These were not ordinary encounters, but life-or-death, face-to-face confrontations, each one thrilling and breathtaking.

Bai Jingzhai had escaped from Long Fei's grasp multiple times, which Long Fei resented. Bai Jingzhai was a notoriously cunning adversary in the public security system, and Long Fei still felt he hadn't yet reached the pinnacle of skill. However, by dealing with an old fox like Bai Jingzhai for a long time, he would eventually become a super hunter. He learned and grew through struggle.

Long Fei had a premonition that Bai Jingzhai was nearby. Years ago, he had infiltrated the Plum Blossom Gang, operating in the shadows. Now, the Plum Blossom Gang lurked in the shadows, while he was in broad daylight. The roles had reversed, increasing the difficulty. It would require far more effort and wisdom to deal with these bandits lurking in the mountain city. 27

The moment Mei Fang confirmed her cousin's identity, her heart pounded. She never imagined that her cousin, whom she had often dreamed of over the years, would hold such an important place in her heart.

On the first night, after saying goodbye to Hanqing in the attic and returning to her bedroom, Mei Fang tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. She shyly realized that she was thinking about men.

As the saying goes, "A woman in her thirties is like a hungry wolf," which refers to the increasing sexual desire of a young married woman.

With her husband away for most of the year, Mei Fang's sex life was irregular, often unpredictable, with periods of insatiable hunger and hunger. Normally, when she was alone in bed, she could endure and restrain herself. But now, with her cousin suddenly appearing so close, she felt inexplicably itchy all over and uncomfortable in her lower body. On the third night of Han Qing's stay, Mei Fang chatted with him about the past, becoming lost in the moment. Inadvertently, their hands touched, and the contact felt like an electric shock; their hearts opened up, and there were no more barriers between them. When Han Qing whispered, "Xiao Fang, do you remember when we played the wedding game?" Mei Fang looked up and met her cousin's burning eyes, filled with intense passion. She felt weak and leaned against his shoulder. That night, Mei Fang truly tasted the wonderful flavors of being a woman.

After the pleasure subsided, Mei Fang was plunged into unease, a unease mixed with self-blame and regret. Essentially, Mei Fang was a very traditional woman. Born into a conservative doctor's family, she had been steeped in traditional values since childhood. Before this, apart from her husband, she had never had a relationship with any other man. Everything changed after Han Qing entered the family. Mei Fang's traditional moral defenses were breached by the power of her childhood sweetheart. Mei Fang was conflicted. She wanted to be a good wife, but the way she and her husband lived together was too abnormal. She was a living person, a woman—a healthy woman with sexual desires. Was she really wrong? Mei Fang also wanted to be a good mother. She didn't want her children to know about her affair, but every night, she often couldn't bear the loneliness and couldn't help but run to the attic. She wasn't a bad woman; she wasn't incapable of enduring loneliness. It was just that her childhood sweetheart, her dream man, had descended from the sky and intruded into her reality. How could she avoid him? How could she refuse him? Even if she could suppress her own feelings, how could she hurt a sincere heart that loved her?